Texas man killed in collision south of Loving

One man was killed in a head-on collision on U.S. Highway 285 near Loving Friday night.

New Mexico State Police said Clay Allan Scott, 54, of Conroe, Texas, was traveling north in a Ford F-150 when he crossed the center line and collided with a Peterbilt semi truck traveling south.

State Police responded to the scene at about 8:30 p.m. near mile marker 5, south of Loving.

Officer Ray Wilson, public information officer with the New Mexico State Police, said Scott was transported to Carlsbad Medical Center and then airlifted to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas, before he was pronounced deceased.

Wilson said the drivers were the only occupants and there were no indications that either was distracted at the time of the collision.

The driver of the semi was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

The accident is the third fatal crash on the highway near Malaga and Loving, and Scott is the fourth fatality.

On Oct. 25, Chad Rodriquez, 26, of Artesia, and Ricky L. Swafford, 50, of Alabama, were killed in a head-on collision near mile marker 14.

A week later, 21-year-old Jacob Balderrama of Carlsbad was killed in a crash near mile marker 13.

State Police are currently investigating Friday's collision.

DeJanay Booth can be reached at 575-628-5546, dbooth@currentargus.com and @DeJanayBooth on Twitter.